Love's Trials
by Blurple121497
Summary: Jane Quimby's life is turned upside down when she finds her best friend and her worst enemy together after more than 3 months of being kept in the dark. Follow Jane as she attempts to pull her life together as it falls apart at the seams.  Jane and Billy
1. Falling

Hey everyone! This is my first story, and I wanted to try out some ideas on an area of Fanfiction that I personally think is underwritten. So please enjoy and review!

Love's Trials

Jane POV

I walked quickly through the halls, desperately trying to put as much distance between me and my worst nightmare. The memory of Billy and Lulu all over each other is fresh in my mind, and the familiar burning behind my eyes only makes me walk faster. Come on, please have a bathroom miraculously appear so he can't find me! I look around. Oh, the main girl's restroom is just down the hall! A few more steps-

"Jane!" The hand that accompanies the voice spins me around and I come face to face with my best friend, Billy. Well, I thought he was my best friend… But that was before I caught him with my tormentor, Lulu Pope.

"Jane stop, okay? I can explain!" Oh, I'm sure he can… And I'm just as sure that I will accept anything he says without question, because he's Billy, and I trust him more than anyone in this world… Which is why I have to be short with him or else I'll break down and fall into his arms crying. To save myself what little dignity I have left I have to act like I'm mad at him, when really I just want to go run and cry.

"Explain what Billy? The fact that you and Lulu were just stuck together like glue, or that you didn't tell me about it?" Okay so far, so good Jane.

"Lulu and I didn't want anyone to know about us for awhile because we didn't know what we had yet, but now we're together for real, and we decided it was okay to come out as a couple." Oh. Well- Wait! He said _awhile_… Does that mean this has been going on for a long time? I have a sinking feeling in my gut that it has been.

"What do you mean _'awhile'_, Billy? How long has this been going on?" Please say this is a new thing, please!

"We were together for over three months in secret, then I broke it off for about a week, and now we're back together…" He says something else, but I no longer can hear him. The air has left me like I just took a punch to the gut. I feel as though I'm going to be sick… I have to get out of here fast. Okay Janie, be strong!

"You lied to me all this time? Billy, we aren't supposed to keep secrets! We're supposed to tell each other things!" My head is pounding, and my eyes burn with unshed tears.

"I knew you would take this badly! Ugh! This is also the reason I didn't tell you, because you wouldn't understand!" Another punch to the gut. Pain and betrayal claw at my insides. I've got to get out of here, now!

"I wouldn't understand? Billy, you never gave me that chance… And now it's too late." I can't believe this is happening to us. Just yesterday we were perfect. Just shows you how things can change.

"Janie, don't be like that. You're acting ridicu-" No, I can't listen anymore!

"Don't call me Janie! And you have no right to be judging me right now! *Sigh* Just leave me alone, Billy…"

"You know what Jane? No! I don't care if you don't approve of us, because it's none of your business whom I do or don't date! I can't believe you! You're just bitter because it's Lulu! I'll bet if it was any other girl you wouldn't care half as much! Get it through your head that there are other, more important, things to me in my life than you Jane Quimby!" It would have hurt less had he slapped me across the face. I don't give a response. I just turn around and attempt to walk away without stumbling or breaking down crying.

I don't hear any footsteps behind me, so he obviously deemed me unworthy of his potential Lulu time. I hurt more. How could he say those things after everything we've been through? I guess our friendship didn't mean nearly as much to him as I thought…

I finally made it to the main doors and burst out into the… Rain? Oh, that's just perfect. Now I have to walk all the way home in the rain, where upon arrival I will be soaked and most likely have a cold… Not to mention my clothes will be ruined.

I just want to crawl in my bed and cry. It doesn't matter to me that I just ditched school, or that Ben is going to be worried and possibly mad, or if I'm going to miss work today. I don't care because the most constant thing in my life has just been yanked out from under me, and now I have to get back up and learn to stand on my own.


	2. Hurt

Hello again! Thanks to those of you that reviewed, seeing your comments motivated me to update faster! Anyway, feel free to let me know of any spelling errors or major character personality problems. This story is slightly AU, so the characters are going to be a little different than in the show. For example Jane is going to be a little more vulnerable and withdrawn at times, Billy is going to be a little mean for awhile, and Nick is going to have an interesting and hopefully unexpected side to him. With these small changes in mind, let me know if there is an action a character does that is really against their personality. I've tried to have the story use the Canon background of the episodes 1-3 and used the ideas the previews for episode 4 gave me as my storyline. I hope that cleared up any questions any of you might have. Please enjoy and review!

Love's Trials

Jane POV

I was right about my clothes being ruined. Halfway to my house one high heel lost its heel in a crack in the sidewalk and the other broke on the slippery blacktop of my driveway, sending me crashing to the ground and causing my foot to tilt at an unnatural angle. I sat there in the rain for a few minutes, my foot throbbing in time with my heart, until I was able to slowly stand up and limp the rest of the way into the house. Which brings me to now, with me sitting on the floor in a wet heap with a sprained ankle to boot.

I feel the tears burning in my eyes, and I finally let them fall. Hot tracks streaming down my face, sobs bursting from my chest, makeup running down my face… All of the pent up hurt and frustration from earlier comes out in a relentless flood. I sit there shivering and crying for a good twenty minutes before I am calm enough to stand and shakily make my way to the shower.

The hot water feels good on my skin, and it feels as though the hurt and betrayal are rolling off of my skin and down the drain. For a few blissful minutes I am calm. Too soon, though, the water starts to turn cold and I hop out and into the safety of my towel. Standing here reality begins to set in, and I feel the vice around my heart begin to tighten once more.

I take a step forward and stumble, having momentarily forgotten my injured ankle. I quickly pull on my oldest and warmest pair of pajamas and hobble into the kitchen in search of an icepack. I find it in the freezer, surprisingly where it should be for once. If living with a grown up Ben has taught me anything, it is to not be surprised to find peanut butter in the toaster or macaroni and cheese on the ceiling.

Icepack in hand, I slowly make my way into the living room where I collapse on the couch and prop my foot up with the ice on it. Just as I close my eyes and lean back, my phone vibrates. I check the caller id to find that Gray is trying to get a hold of me. I wearily press talk and put the phone up to my ear.

"Hello?" Well, I have to start somewhere.

"Jane, I need you to come in early today and pick up my shipment Louis Vuitton bags and check to make sure that every single one matches my custom orders. Do you understand?" Oh dear, she's not going to be happy with me…

"Gray, I woke up today with a light cold and as the morning went on it has gotten a lot worse. I have a fever and I feel it would be unwise for me to be around your special order bags while I might have the flu. I guess what I'm trying to say is-" I was cut off.

"-That you are calling in sick today and perhaps the rest of the week as well? Yes, Jane, you may have the rest of the week off on sick leave. Be lucky today is a Thursday, Jane, or you would be coming in, flu or not! I will expect to see you here on time on Monday." Well, that was easy.

"Thank you Gray! I-" Click! She hung up on me. Oh well, not a big surprise there. I lean my head back against the arm of the couch and before I know it I am drifting off to sleep.

I am rudely awoken some time later by Ben storming into the house.

"Jane! Jane, are you here?" His voice is not quite its usual calm, so I know he was worried.

"Right here, Ben." My voice comes out scratchy, and my head spins as I open my eyes. My vision swims for a moment before focusing in on my big brother's face as his expression morphs from worried to annoyed and then to a deeper concern as he moves over to the couch. He sits down at my side and places his hand gently upon my brow. After a moment he pulls it back with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Well, you definitely have a fever. Do you mind explaining to me how you go from being healthy as a horse when you left this morning, then skipping class, and your internship I'm assuming, and now me coming home to find you passed out on the couch with a high fever?… And is that ice on your foot?" His expression is serious, and I mentally groan. He is in 'legal guardian' mode right now. Okay, might as well get this over with now.

"Well, it started with-…"

(Flashback)

"_Billy?" I call in the courtyard where we normally have lunch. He normally picks me up from my last class before lunch so we can walk together, but he wasn't there so I went on to lunch without him with the intention of meeting him there._

_He was not at our table, either, and after a few minutes of waiting I go off in search of him. Turning a corner I see him pressing Lulu Pope up against a tree in a lip lock. I gasp, not believing what I'm seeing. But they continue, with gusto might I add, and so I turn around and walk quickly in the opposite direction. I heard someone that sounded suspiciously like Bill, call my name. I quickened my pace…_

(End Flashback)

"…-And then Billy caught up with me and we fought. He said some very hurtful things, and told me that he and Lulu had been sneaking around for over three months and just now decided they were ready to come out as a couple. He lied to me, Ben! For three months, no less! I was so hurt and I couldn't stand to be there anymore. So, I left school and walked home. Halfway here I broke one high heel, and the other broke on the driveway and took me down with it. And that is why I've got ice on my ankle. As for my fever… I must have caught it from walking in the rain so long, even though I took a hot shower after I got home." My voice crackled towards the end, and I started coughing. Ben looked thoughtful, then smiled and ruffled my already mussed hair.

"Okay, kiddo. You're starting to act like a real teenager! I'm so proud! What are you going to do about your internship, though? And Billy?" Oh Ben, of course you would think being a teenager means skipping class… Oh boy, but what do I do about Billy? I can't face him after today. The thought of his angry, hateful expression and his equally angry and hurtful words brings tears to my eyes.

"Well, Gray gave me the rest of the week off to recover. As for Billy… Ben, I don't know what to do! He hurt me so bad! I thought he would be the very last, or almost the very last, person to say something like that to me… I can barely think about it, let alone face him!" I start crying again at this point, which only makes my headache worse. Ben looks alarmed at the tears for a moment before he scoops me up in a hug and gently rocks me back and forth.

My tears subside after awhile, and I am almost asleep as I feel Ben carry me to my room and tuck me in under the covers. He plants a light kiss on my forehead and leans down close to my ear.

"Whatever you do, Janie, know that I'll back you up one hundred percent. I may not be the best guardian for you right now, or the best big brother, but I'm here for you and I'll always love you just the same." And with that he smoothes my hair a final time and walks from the room, shutting the door behind him softly.

Well, I know that I kind of hinted Nick was going to appear in this chapter, but as it worked out he was not. But be expecting him soon, and if not the next chapter then most likely the one after it. Please review, and I hope you enjoyed!


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